Remembering the first seizure and the diagnosis of epilepsy: how much impact do they have in our lives?

The aim of the study described here was to investigate what people with epilepsy (PWE) remember about their first seizures and the diagnoses they received, as well as what healthy control participants (HCP) remember about the first seizure they witnessed. Forty PWE were asked to recall in detail their first seizures and their diagnoses, and 40 HCP were asked to recall the first seizure they witnessed. All participants also rated aspects of their subjective reactions to these experiences. Although the first seizure was more surprising and received more covert rehearsal than the diagnosis, PWE recalled equal numbers of details about the two events. Free recall protocols showed that the memory narratives were longer for the first seizure than for the diagnosis. HCP also showed almost perfect recall for the personal circumstances of the first seizure they witnessed. These findings, combined with strong emotional reactions to these experiences, suggest that they lead to detailed and lasting memories.